ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gisela Rudolph Zebroski was nineteen when she left the ruins of post-war Germany to come to America. Born in Latvia, a Baltic German, she enjoyed a privileged childhood until age five. The start of WW-II in 1939 uprooted her family and threw them into a chaotic world that was fast becoming a disaster for millions of people. Her mother’s undaunted verve and courage taught Gisela to adapt to trying circumstances. In 1945 they escaped the Soviets and survived the bleak aftermath of the war as refugees in Germany. Foraging for food and firewood she discovered the beauty of nature, longed for her lost homeland and her father's return from the war. He did not return. Convinced that their dismal existence was but a passing phase she prepared herself for a future in America. Her mother and siblings joined her. They talked about Russia and Latvia, her grandparents’ glamorous lives and her mother’s childhood. Gisela pursued an education in America. While still learning the skills of novel writing, she interviewed many survivors and researched the events during and near to the era of the early family experiences. Partly based on her mother's tales, The Baroness was born as a novel and slowly took shape.

   Gisela lives in California where she is working on a sequel to The Baroness.